When You Listen to Yourself
What travel taught me about trusting intuition
#43
People sometimes ask me what it takes to keep moving forward — how I don’t seem to get stuck in the loops of habitual thinking or second-guessing every decision.
For me, the answer is simple, though not always easy to practice. I believe there is a higher intelligence guiding all of us toward our highest and best. I personally call that Life energy Spirit. Others might call it God, the Universe, Source, or simply intuition. Whatever name we give it, aligning with that greater life force is what allows us to step into the fullest expression of ourselves.
Courage, I believe, is sourced through that higher wisdom. And through the practice of listening to it — again and again — I’ve been able to keep evolving, creating a life I truly love. In many ways, travel helped me continue that practice.
When you’re moving through unfamiliar places, navigating new cities, languages, transportation systems, and cultures, there isn’t always a clear roadmap. You learn to listen more closely — to subtle signals, instincts, and quiet inner nudges that help guide the next step. Over time, that kind of listening becomes a muscle.
These past few weeks have been a beautiful example of that practice in real time.
Now that I’m settling into my new role at work, I’ve started researching neighborhoods around the lake and driving through different communities to imagine where my next home might be. A realtor has been sending me listings, and interestingly enough, I found her through a recommendation from an esthetician I visited when I decided it was time for a little self-care.
And how did I find the esthetician? ChatGPT gave me a few options when I asked for recommendations. After reading through them, I paused and checked in with my intuition. One name stood out immediately. Michelle turned out to be exactly the right fit — and when I mentioned I was starting to explore buying a home, she connected me with Becky, the realtor who now seems like the perfect guide for this next step.
Flow, grace, and ease.
I’m a big believer in not wasting time forcing something that doesn’t feel aligned. In fact, before meeting Becky I spoke with another realtor who came through a friend-of-a-friend connection. He was perfectly nice, but after a couple of conversations I could feel it wasn’t quite the right fit. Years ago I might have tried to push through that feeling just to keep things moving.
Travel helped me unlearn that habit.
When you’re on the road, forcing something rarely works. A missed train, a wrong turn, a closed café — the best moments often come when you release the plan and follow a new thread instead. Now I trust myself enough to release the thread early and allow something better to appear.
Even the small moments seem to reflect that same energy of support. Recently a seamstress I visited to alter a jacket told me, very honestly, that the tailoring would be expensive and probably wouldn’t make much of a difference. She suggested I save my money instead. I left that conversation feeling incredibly grateful to be surrounded by such integrous women. It’s amazing how life seems to bring the right people forward when you’re paying attention.
Alongside all of this movement, I’ve also taken time to simply rest.
After a period of big expansion — both externally and internally — my body needed space to integrate. Travel has taught me this rhythm as well: there are seasons of movement, and seasons of stillness that allow everything we’ve experienced to settle and make sense.
There have been moments when a few tears appear unexpectedly. They only last a few seconds, but I’ve come to welcome them. A deep breath afterward and I feel lighter again. Tears can be a powerful way for the heart to release and expand. So I let the energy move through me and continue on with the day.
Last weekend I spent hours driving through neighborhoods, starting to get a feel for the area and imagining what life here might look like long-term. After so many months of travel, learning new places has become strangely familiar — the slow process of noticing streets, energy, and rhythms until somewhere unfamiliar begins to feel like home.
By this weekend, though, my soul was asking for something lighter. So I followed that nudge.
I wandered through a balloon art festival filled with colorful, interactive exhibits that brought out pure joy and playfulness. The next day I drove into Dallas and treated myself to incredible dim sum at a small, authentic restaurant. Spring storms rolled through that evening, and sitting inside listening to the rain felt strangely nostalgic and comforting.
These small moments of living are just as important as the big decisions.
There have also been moments of loneliness. I miss Tim deeply. His presence brings so much joy and laughter into my life. And at the same time, I’m learning to appreciate the quiet of being alone in my own energy again.
Both can exist at the same time.
When my mind occasionally starts to spin into doubt or worry, I come back to gratitude. For the life I’m living. For the courage that brought me here. For the opportunities still unfolding.
Lately I’ve finally had the energy to begin walking around the lake nearby. Being in nature grounds me immediately — the sound of birds, the openness of the water and sky, the rhythm of simply moving my body forward. Daily workouts help too. Physical movement has always been one of the quickest ways for me to reconnect with myself.
Finding what brings you joy — and then making space for quiet enough to hear yourself — is both a practice and a choice.
Travel may have been the place where I first learned to trust those inner signals. But the real lesson was never about the destinations themselves. It was about learning to listen. And that kind of listening doesn’t only happen on the road.
It shows up in everyday decisions. In conversations. In moments when something inside you quietly says, this way. When you learn to trust that voice, life begins to move differently. Not necessarily easier — but with more flow, more clarity, and more alignment.
And often, that’s where the most beautiful paths begin to unfold — whether on the road or right where you are. Have a blessed week.
To your highest and best,
Dianna
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